Charis Methodist Church

Preparing God’s Way by Prayer

benjamin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:21:02 +0000

In Nehemiah 2:11-18, we learnt how Nehemiah the cupbearer to the King started out on his mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem by riding through the ruins at night. He had not shared with anyone what God had placed in his heart and felt it important to prepare God’s way ahead by prayer. In the last 12 months, we have learnt that brothers and sisters from our community have gone out to Eunos to make friends for Jesus but most of us only hear about the location but have never gone with them ourselves. But on 21st March ’10, we are going to follow Nehemiah’s strategy to walk the area, holding it in our hearts before the Lord as we pass through the Eunos community. Many of us have learnt to quietly pray in the places that we live, work or play so it is not something that will be strange to us. This sort of on-site intercession has often been referred to as “prayerwalking”.

The WayMakers* (writers of the prayer guides to the Global Day of Prayer) defined prayerwalking as “simply praying in the very places we expect God to bring forth His answers.” It is usually a low-profile affair: friends or family stroll two-by-two through their own neighborhoods, schools and work places, praying as they go. Once in a while the prayers can be demonstrative, but most prayerwalking is fairly quiet. It’s usually being on the scene without making one.

We want to pray on site with insight. We are going to extend our prayers beyond our own concerns to focus directly on the needs of our Eunos neighbors. Prayerwalking is not so much about walking or being outside. It’s drawing nearer to those for whom we pray, so that we can be clearer about what we are to pray.

HOW TO PRAYERWALK

Pray with a Partner.
- You can prayerwalk alone, but many find that their prayers are more focused when expressed with a friend.
- Pray audibly for clarity and better agreement.
- As you finish, discuss – or even write down – the prayers, people, and places of most importance. You’ll be ready for the next round of on-site prayer.

Pray with God’s Spirit.
- Invite the Spirit of God to accompany you, guiding your steps and your words.
- Be attentive during moments of silence, allowing the Holy Spirit to help you see with His eyes and pray in accordance with His heart.
- Address God directly when contending with evil or its aftermath. Ask God to redeem people as He restrains the enemy.

Pray with God’s Word.
- Read Scripture aloud. God breathes it and loves to bless it.
- Express God’s thoughts in your own words.
- Carry Scripture with you. Use a small Bible, or note cards.
- Choose a particular verse or theme as a base for your prayers throughout one day’s prayerwalk. Use another to launch your prayers the next day, and so on.

Pray with Purpose.
- Pray for the present-hour needs of people and places that you see.
- Sketch a map to focus on select streets and homes. We will provide a simplified map.
- Pray quietly. In confidence of God’s unfolding purpose which includes your preparation prayer, don’t look to initiate gospel conversations during your prayerwalk. Pray for God to open doors of communication soon.
- Explain what you are doing to inquirers: “We’re praying God’s blessing on the neighborhood. Are there specific ways we can pray for you or others?”

Besides blessing the neighborhood through our prayers, we will discover how God enables us (those who participate) to see people as He might view them. He’ll enable us to become more interested in the welfare of the people that we are praying for, and truly become the kind of neighbor that you always wanted to be. Look out for the ways God impresses you to display His love in practical acts of kindness. Be ready to offer to pray with your partners as opportunity may arise.

*WayMakers helps people pray in the simple power of Biblical hope for people throughout their communities, and even for peoples in distant places.

Sermon for the month of February 2010

benjamin — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:41:27 +0000

7th February 2010
3 John

G-D-D: What Does Love & Truth Look Like? (Part 1)

G-D-D: What Does Love & Truth Look Like? (Part 2)

14th February 2010 (Chinese New Year’s Day)
3 John 2, Matthew 5:1-16

Year of The Tiger: Lady Luck & Fortunes

21st February 2010
John 6: 25-40

The Moment of Truth: He Is The Bread of Life (Part 1)

The Moment of Truth: He Is The Bread of Life (Part 2)

28th February 2010
Matthew 6: 14-15

Forgiveness

“The Moment of Truth” Sermon Series

benjamin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:28:35 +0000

Some of you might be familiar with this fairly new TV game show that will quiz contestants on personal questions and use a lie detector to determine if they’re telling the truth. Contestants competing on The Moment of Truth will be hooked-up to a lie detector and asked to answer 21 questions without fibbing for the chance to win the $500,000 grand prize. Not surprisingly, the questions’ subject matter grows more difficult with each correct answer given and owning up to the truth becomes harder, as friends and family members watch from the studio audience.

Sample questions contestants could be asked include have you ever lied to get a job; do you like your mother-in-law; do you really care about starving children in Africa; have you ever stolen anything from work; and have you ever cheated on your spouse. Truth has turned ugly in the hands of these producers. It has reduced honesty and truth to a gaming commodity. In the show we see the ugliest side of humanity, how we are only willing to admit to the truth if we get paid for it. Many of the televised admissions to truth resulted in major shifts in each of the lives of the contestants. Their friends and family members had to make decisions based on what they had heard as the truth.

As we come to the season of Lent (started on Ash Wednesday, 10th February), we want to uphold the truth about Christ as the most important truth that cannot be bought. In the series, we are going to explore the claims of Christ anew and ask ourselves if the truth about Christ has indeed set us free. What will we do when it comes down to making a life-changing decision based on the truth about Christ? What will it take to make us live out that truth honestly?

This is a good series to bring your friends who may not yet know Christ. If they are open and have been wondering about the claims of Christ, let them hear for themselves throughout the period of Lent. May the words of Christ in John 8:32: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”, come true for us and all our friends this season.

~ Rev Tan-Yeo Lay Suan

“The Moment of Truth” PULPIT CALENDAR

February
21st – “He Is The Bread of Life”
28th – “He Has The Words of Eternal Life”

March
7th – “He Is The Savior of The World”
14th – “He Is Judge”
21st – “He Is Both Man & God”

April
1st (Maundy Thursday) – “He Is King”
2nd (Good Friday) – “He Is Righteous”
4th (Easter Day) – “He Lives Again”

All sermons during Sunday Services otherwise stated.